Nov. 30, 2011
Rebecca Strecker
NASA Public Affairs Office
Stennis Space Center, MS 39529-6000
(228) 688-3249
Rebecca.A.Strecker@nasa.gov
RELEASE: HQ-11-399
NASA SELECTS SMALL BUSINESS PROPOSALS FOR CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS
NASA has selected 300 small business proposals to enter into
negotiations for possible contract awards through the agency's Small
Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and the Small Business Technology
Transfer (STTR) programs.
These competitive awards-based programs encourage U.S. small
businesses and research institutions to engage in federal research,
development and commercialization. The programs enable teams to
explore technological potential while providing the incentive to
profit from new commercial products and services.
The SBIR program selected 260 proposals, which have a combined value
of approximately $33 million, for negotiation of Phase I feasibility
study contracts. The STTR program selected 40 proposals, with a
combined value of approximately $5 million, for negotiation of Phase
I contracts.
Eight of the business proposals involve technologies being developed
for the Office of the Chief Technologist at NASA's John C. Stennis
Space Center.
"Automated Semantic Enrichment for Data Discovery and Decision
Support" with Geo Visual Technologies Inc. in Boulder, Colo.
"Cloud-based Crowdsourced Semantic Social Mobile App for Disaster
Response" with Vcrsoft, LLC in Arlington, Texas.
"Propulsion Test Support analysis with GPU Computing" with Combustion
Research and Flow Technology in Pipersville, Penn.
"Polyoxometalate and Zirconium-Phosphate Conversion Coating for Steel
Piping" with International Scientific Technologies Inc. in Dublin,
Va.
"Intelligent Distributed and Ubiquitous Health Management System" with
American GNC Corp. in Simi Valley, Calif., and Louisiana Tech
University in Ruston, La.
"Hydrogen-based Energy Conservation System" with Sustainable
Innovations, LLC in Glastonbury, Conn., and the University of
Connecticutt in Storrs, Conn.
"Intelligent Radiative Materials" with PC Krause and Associates Inc.
in West Lafayette, Ind., and the University of Texas at Austin.
"Energy Efficient LED Spectrally Matched Smart Lighting" with
Innovative Imaging and Research at Stennis Space Center and the
University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Miss.
"NASA's partnerships with small businesses and universities through
these programs brings space technologies to the marketplace, helping
start-ups and small businesses create new jobs and grow our economy
while meeting NASA's current and future mission needs," said Michael
Gazarik, director of NASA's Space Technology. "Breakthroughs in
technology for space exploration create the foundation for new
industries. We're excited to work with these new partners and look
forward to seeing their technologies mature into commercially viable
products."
The SBIR and STTR programs address specific technology gaps in NASA
missions, while striving to complement other agency research
investments. Program results have benefited many NASA efforts,
including modern air traffic control systems, Earth-observing
spacecraft, the International Space Station and the Mars rovers.
Innovative research areas among proposals include:
Improved technologies related to in-flight airframe and engine icing
hazards for piloted and drone vehicles to prevent encounters with
hazardous conditions and mitigation of their effects when they occur.
Design of electronics, hardened for radiation and thermal cycling,
which are capable of enduring the extreme temperature and radiation
environments of deep space, and the lunar and Martian surfaces.
Development of small, low-cost remote sensing and in situ instruments
to enable science measurement capabilities with smaller or more
affordable spacecraft that meet multiple mission needs while making
the best use of limited resources.
Innovative research in the areas of positioning, navigation and timing
that will enable accurate and precise determination of location and
orientation of spacecraft to allow corrections to course, orientation
and velocity to attain a desired destination.
The highly competitive programs are based on a three-phase award
system. Phase I is a feasibility study to evaluate the scientific and
technical merit of an idea. Awards are typically for six months for
the SBIR contracts and 12 months for the STTR contracts, in amounts
up to $125,000. Firms successfully completing Phase I are eligible to
submit Phase II proposals, expanding on the results of Phase I. Phase
III includes commercialization of the results of Phase II, and
requires the use of private sector or non-SBIR federal funding as
innovations move from the laboratory to the marketplace.
The selected SBIR proposals were submitted by 196 small, high
technology firms in 37 states. The selected STTR proposals were
submitted by 36 small high technology firms in 13 states. As part of
the STTR program, the firms proposed to partner with 34 universities
or research institutions in 16 states.
NASA received 1,878 qualified Phase I proposals. The criteria used to
choose these selected proposals included technical merit and
feasibility; experience, qualifications and facilities; effectiveness
of the work plan; and, commercial potential and feasibility.
NASA's Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, Calif., manages the SBIR
program for the agency's Space Technology Program. NASA's 10 field
centers manage individual projects.
For a complete list of selected companies, visit:
http://sbir.nasa.gov.
For more information about NASA's Office of the Chief Technologist and
the agency's Space Technology Program, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/oct/.
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